One Last Fight
by Alaska829Snow
Summary: After Archie shows up alive, Emma sets out to apologize to Regina; what she finds is a broken woman who thinks the world is better off without her. Emma gains insight into the former-queen's life and has to convince her to fight on against her mother. SwanQueen!


One of the perks of being Sheriff was getting to break the law at times like this.

Emma Swan had just learned that Regina Mills was innocent of murder. She had known it, on some level, all along; since the very moment she saw the look on Regina's face in the interrogation room. Emma was furious at herself for betraying her gut- for allowing herself to be tricked by forces larger than herself. Even worse, she kept replaying the horrible things she had said to her son's mother. Just when the former queen had put two feet on the ground-on the road to redemption-Emma had fiercely declared she wasn't capable of it.

Her stomach was in knots as she was on her way to apologize, to beg for forgiveness. To show that she was a believer-and so was Henry. She knew she was racing against a ticking clock; she knew she needed to get to Regina before Cora did.

And, so, Emma's foot slammed against the accelerator of the Sheriff's police car, with absolutely no regard for town speed limits. She needed to find Regina-and fast.

* * *

"Regina," Emma yelled as she burst through the doors of the mansion; she had used Henry's key to let herself in. "Regina!"

Emma ran through the house- and it appeared to be empty. She couldn't exactly blame Regina for hiding-not after the massive amount of threats that had been made against her.

"Please," Emma begged, "if you're here, I know you didn't do it. I know you're innocent."

Emma's voice echoed through the halls and was met with utter silence. Still, something in her gut told her that Regina was near and could, in fact, hear her. This time, she was determined to listen to her gut. So, she kept talking. "I'm _so_ sorry. Please just let me explain. Henry and I...we know you were framed and he _really_ misses you."

Suddenly, Emma's vision was clouded by a thick mist of purple smoke; the same smoke Regina had vanished in earlier that week.

"Thank God," Emma panted through her cough as she saw Regina reappear in front of her.

"Ms. Swan," Regina coldly greeted her.

"I'm so sorry, Regina. I'm sorry. I wanted to believe you. I did believe you. But I saw it…I saw it with my own eyes and I didn't know that magic could just be manipulated so easily."

"It's fine," Regina replied, with complete apathy in her voice.

Emma was disturbed by the short response; their interactions rarely lacked emotion even in the most mundane circumstances. She expected all kinds of yelling and even, possibly, a sequel to their infamous fist fight. She had, in a strange way, _wanted_ Regina to scream. Because Emma knew she deserved it. But instead, Regina stood before her with a calm demeanor. It was so out of character that Emma didn't know how to react.

"It's not fine. The things I said to you were way out of line and I didn't mean them. I was just so upset at the thought that you would..."

"Misunderstandings happen," Regina interrupted Emma's ranting monologue.

It was then Emma noticed Regina held a tiny vile of liquid in her hand. "What is that?"

Regina's eyes glanced down at the object before making eye-contact with Emma. "A sleeping curse."

"For...for who?"

"Me."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"There is no chance for happiness for me," Regina explained, her voice now shaking, "anywhere."

"That's not true," Emma argued. "I just told you, I know you didn't do it. And soon everyone will know. It's _over._"

"It's over?" Regina laughed.

"Yes, it is."

"This particular event may be over," Regina hissed, "but it will never end. It started when I was eighteen and it won't stop. Not unless I put an end to it myself."

"That's not true," Emma insisted. "People will see the real you. and how you're changing."

"You're still so naive that it's disturbing. As long as I live and breathe I will be the Evil Queen to everyone here, including my son. I've already exhausted my options in two separate worlds. Everyone will be better off and maybe, just maybe, I can finally be at peace."

"You can't just leave Henry," Emma blurted out. She didn't know how else to convince Regina that this wasn't the way.

"Every time I try to be better for Henry, someone reminds me, and him, that I _can't_ be. Besides, he seems to be adjusting well to life with the Charmings."

"I said I'm sorry. They're sorry, too."

"No that it matters much… but just out of curiosity, what _was_ it that made you change your mind about my innocence?"

"Archie is alive."

Emma saw Regina physically react to the words. She knew it was the first time since the beginning of their conversation that Regina had been caught off-guard.

"Excuse me?"

"Your...your mother kidnapped him."

"My...mother?"

"Cora is in Storybrook."

"I thought you said you defeated her," Regina spat.

"She must have found another way to get here besides the portal."

"Of course she did...like I said, it's never ending."

"She framed you. But the first thing Henry said when he saw Archie was that he knew you didn't do it. He loves you."

"As long as I'm alive in Storybrook, my mother will go after _everyone_ until she gets to me. Archie is...just the beginning. She will stop at nothing. You've just given me all the more reason to go through with this."

"I won't let you," Emma declared.

"Oh, really? And how, exactly, do you intend to stop me?"

Emma wished she had more experience with magic. She wished she could simply will the sleeping curse to fly out the window. But she didn't have the time to figure that out. So, instead, she lunged forward and tackled Regina, causing the vile of liquid to go flying out of Regina's hand. Emma watched as the glass smashed against the wall and broke into a million pieces.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Regina screamed, as Emma pinned her to the ground.

"What's wrong with me?" Emma yelled back, making no attempt to loosen her grip. "Your sociopath of a mother is here and you're just going to abandon us to deal with her alone?"

Emma's face was so close to Regina's that she was certain her spit was landing on the mayor's face.

"You've got magic now, almighty savior," Regina replied as she tried to squirm free, "I'm sure you can handle her."

"My magic couldn't even figure out that she framed you!"

"Let go of me!"

"No!"

Regina closed her eyes and relied on magic to escape Emma's hold, causing the blonde's body to fall against the floor.

Seconds later, Regina reappeared on the other side of the room. "Did you really think that you could stop me? Have your parents taught you nothing?"

Emma picked herself up, recovering more quickly than Regina expected. "Well you don't have your precious sleeping curse anymore, do you?"

"There are other ways to achieve the same result."

"Oh really? How?"

Regina refused to break eye-contract with Emma as she slammed her hand into her own chest and ripped out her heart.

"What the fuck? What are you doing?" Emma panicked.

Emma knew all about how hearts could be violently removed from chests. She knew that Cora took Aurora's heart- and had even tried to take hers. But watching Regina stand before her holding her most vital organ outside of her body was one of the most frightening things she had ever experienced.

"Here, my dear," Regina said as she slowly approached the sheriff and placed her heart in her hands. "Why don't _you_ do the honors?"

Emma's tried to stop herself from shaking as she gripped onto Regina's heart and felt its rhythmic beating.

"Go ahead," Regina challenged her, "_crush _it."

"No," Emma said, tears forming behind her eyes, "I won't do it. I would never."

"Oh really? You would never?" Regina mocked. "Don't you get it? You already have. When you told me I couldn't change. When you told me Henry wasn't my son. So why don't you just get it over with already and finish the job?"

"Put it back!" Emma screamed. "I said,_ I'm sorry_."

"If you're so upset about it, why don't _you_ put it back?"

"How?" Emma whispered. "I don't want to fuck it up. _Please._"

"The same way I ripped it out."

Emma knew this was another challenge and she was determined not to let Regina win; she wouldn't let her take the easy way out.

She focused her eyes on Regina and pushed her hands through her chest.

When she did, she was overcome with magic—magic that allowed her to understand Regina Mills; she watched as the Evil Queen's life flashed before her own eyes.

She saw a trapped child emotionally and verbally abused by a controlling mother.

She saw beautiful, heart-sick teenager mourning the death of her first love.

She saw fear on the face of a bride in a King's bed.  
She saw a desperate woman who was left with nothing.

And, finally, Emma understood.

She understood it all. Not just what her parents told her, not just what Henry's book told her. She saw and she understood the whole story- every step and every moment that led to the curse; that led to the very moment she was living.

"Regina," Emma gasped as she pulled her hand back.

"What?" Regina asked. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I saw it," she said. "I saw it all."

"Saw what?"

"You've been hurt by everyone you've ever trusted."

"I don't know what you're..."

Emma charged toward Regina for the second time that evening. But this time, instead of tackling her to the ground, she embraced her.

"You're just like me," Emma whispered as she held Regina close.

"Get off of me," Regina once again tried to reject the physical contact; she pulled away from Emma. "What do you mean I'm just like you?"

"You didn't have anyone to pull you out of it—you were all alone for so long—completely defenseless. How could people have expected you to turn out any differently?"

"I'm not going to blame anyone but myself for the way things turned out."

"It doesn't have to be like that anymore. Just let us in."

"Us?"

"Henry," she said, "and me."

"Why in the world would _you_ want in"? Regina asked, standing with her arms crossed.

Emma knew the move well—had even used it herself. Regina was simply brilliant at building physical walls to keep everyone out. But Emma wasn't having it. Not tonight.

"I care about you; I care about what happens to you. Is that really so difficult to believe? After everything we've been through?"

Regina stared at Emma, her face softening but clearly still confused at the turn of events.

"I get it. You've been fighting your entire life and you just want to stop fighting. But, please, just...one more fight, okay? Us against your mother. I can't figure it out if you're not here. But we _can _figure it out."

"How?" Regina questioned, the skepticism apparent in her voice.

"I don't know yet," Emma admitted, "but if Henry has taught me anything it's that good always win."

"I'm on the good side?"

Emma nodded.

"Okay," Regina agreed. "One last fight."

"Good. Now, let's go. I want to take you to your son."

"Emma, wait."

"What is it?"

Regina took a step closer to Emma—hesitating ever so slightly. Emma watched her and noticed how awkward she was—as if she was completely unsure what to do with her hands. Finally, after a deep breath, Regina broke the distance between them and returned the hug Emma had given her earlier.

Emma smiled as Regina rested her head against her shoulder—she couldn't resist pulling their bodies closer together. She was overjoyed when Regina leaned into her.

"Okay," Regina said, stepping back," _now_, take me to _our_ son."


End file.
